1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for scalding of slaughtered poultry, for example chickens, hens, turkeys, ducks, or geese.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For scalding of slaughtered poultry prior to plucking, to make the feather follicles soft in order to facilitate plucking, it is known that birds shackled by their feet are successively led down through an oblong vessel containing hot water, maybe combined with the blowing in of air through nozzles placed at the bottom.
EP-A1-1 297 748 describes a method and an apparatus for scalding of poultry where saturated air is blown in at the bottom of the scalding chamber by means of a primary nozzle arrangement, which saturated steam is used for producing moist, hot air, which is sucked out at the top of the scalding chamber and reblown directly onto the poultry by means of a secondary nozzle arrangement. Although saturated steam is used for heating up the scalding air, it is nevertheless possible with this method to work with a low scalding temperature of approximately 50° C. or with a higher scalding temperature of approximately 60° C., in that the poultry is not directly exposed to saturated steam at any time.
The advantage of applying humid, hot air is a considerable energy saving and reduced spreading of bacteria. Furthermore a better working climate in the surrounding plucking room is achieved because of considerably reduced steam generation. The poultry must be in the scalding chamber for a specified period of time which is determined by the length and the course of the conveyor belt in the scalding chamber, and the capacity and/or speed of the conveyor belt. In order to utilize the space in the scalding chamber in an optimum way, the conveyor belt extends forwards and backwards in parallel lengths inside the scalding chamber at the same level.